DISCLAIMER:
The copyright owner of the cartoon-series “Daria” is
MTV.
The copyright owner of the cartoon-series “Teen Titans”
are DC Comics, Warner Brothers and their sister Dot.
I have no connection with the copyright owners and I
don’t have the legal rights to use their material. This fanfiction story
was done without authorization, permission or approval by their respective
copyright owners.

RAVEN AZARATH
(The Prose Adaptation)

MONDAY

It was a bright morning. Outside Lawndale High the students were hanging
around. Meanwhile Daria and Jane were on their way into school.

Daria said to Jane.
“Monday. The quintessence of a bad day.”

“Isn’t for you every day, a bad day?”

“Well yes5 except Judgement Day. Since it’s the last day of all.”

“You’re entitled to your opinion, but my sympathy is with the
payday5”

Suddenly the pre-school routine gets interrupted by an announcement
of the Principle Li, audible to all students thanks the school’s loudspeaker
system.

“To all students and teachers of the Lawwwwwndale High!
We just have got a new student enlisted. In consequence the students-body
has increased over the 500 mark. So we have now glorious 501 students at
the Lawwwwwndale High!
Take that Oakwood High! You and your puny 498 students!
End of the announcement.
La-la-la. We are bigger then them, la-la-la5they can eat our5”

The voice of Ms. Bennet interrupted her.
“Principle Li! The loudspeakers are still on!”

A bit ashamed Ms. Li continued.
“5
That before was just a test. Testing, testing 1-2-3.”

The students heard how the loudspeakers were switched off. Then they
turned back to their usual pre-school routines.

Later at English Class, the students were seated. They chatted while
waiting for the teacher Mr. O’Neill.

Jane said to Daria.
“Hmm, I wonder who that number 501 is?”

“Who cares?”

“And if that new entry came to our class?”

“Still no change on my enthusiasm-scale.”

“I reckon we have to wait until number 666 to arouse any kind
of curiously in you.”

Daria smirked a bit.
“Definitely5 Maybe.”

The door opened and Mr. O’Neill stepped in. A girl followed him inside
the room.

She had dark blue 5 almost amethyst eyes.
Silky dark 5 almost lilac hair.
Very pale5 almost grey skin.
She wore blue tennis shoes, tight black jeans and an oversized dark-blue
parka with a hood, tangling on its back.
She had no jewellery, except a golden broche with a big red glass stone,
which was pinned on her chest. It had the size of a half tennis-ball.

Expressionless she stood behind Mr. O’Neill.

O’Neill addressed to the students.
“Dear students: I’m delighted to be the first one, who can introduce
you to our newest member of the Lawndalian Family: Miss5 uh5 ”
He went through his papers.
“5 Dana, Doria, Darrenia?5”

Behind him Raven sighted and said.
“Raven Azarath.”

He turned around towards her and gazed, then he looked at the papers
again.
“Yes, of course: Raven Azarath. I do apologize Raven5 hmm5 Raven.”
He fell into a dream, and got carried away by the works of Edgar Allen
Poe.
“Ahh Poe… “Pull thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form
from off my door!” Quoth the Raven says, “Nevermore.””

Some of the class chuckles while Raven rolled her eyes.
“Whatever makes you slip from the gruesome presence of reality.”
She quoted dryly towards behind O’Neill.

O’Neill woke then up from his daydream.
“Oh sorry Raven Anzth5 Raven. I got carried away.”

“May your competence speak for you.”

“So, can you tell to the class something about you?”

“No.”

“It would help to establish a first acquaintance to your fellow
students.”

“You mean, if I talk to them now, I don’t have to talk to them
later5Very well then:
I am an only child. My parents are divorced. My mother has a ranch
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. My father is a lobbyist in Washington D.C. I
live now at my uncle and aunty, who recently have moved to Lawndale. I
enjoy reading, poems and horror movies. End”

“Well then, that was very communicative. Please take a seat.”

Raven did so. Kevin held up his hand.

O’Neill turned to him.
“Yes Kevin?”

“That guy “Quotheraven Nevermore”. Is that a cartoon character
like Spongebob Squarepants?”

“I don’t think so Kevin.”

Some of the class chuckles, while Raven rolled her eyes again. She waited
for the day to end.

Later at lunchtime in the cafeteria of the Lawndale High. The room was
full of students were having their lunch. Raven was not alone. She sat
with her lunch at a table and was in the middle of a conversation with
Lawndale’s embodiment of popularity: Kevin Thompson.

“You’ve got a cool name Raven Aznarvaranath5”

“Azarath”

“Attakavath”

“Follow my lips: A.”

“A.”

“Aza.”

“A-za.”

“A-za-rath.”

“A-za-radiarack.”

“Boy, I’m impressed.”
Said Raven dryly.

Kevin grinned,
“I can’t help it, but you remind me of someone.”

Brittany walked up to them. Noticing that he was talking to another
girl, she fell into her bitchy girlfriend routine.

“Kevy! What are you doing?”

“Oh! Just saying hello to the new one.”

Suspiciously she mustered Raven.
“What were you talking about?”

“The etymology of last names.”
Answered Raven.

Kevin said.
“Yeah, and I’m impressing her.”

Brittany got a bit more jealous and put her arm around Kevin.
“Kevy is my boyfriend you know.”

Raven said to her.
“Yes, and you really deserve him.”

Brittany frowned for a moment.
“Well you’re not the first one, who tells me that.”

Then she tried to drag Kevin away.
“Come with Kevy!”

But Kevin wanted to stay.
“But Babe, we cannot leave Raven Adamadth alone. She is new and hasn’t
got any friends yet.”

“Hmm5 I know some people, you can hang around with.”

Brittany waved at two students, who were just passing by.
“JODIE! MACK!”

Then she turned to Raven.
“May I introduce you Jodie and Mack: They are not only popular, they
are smart too.”

“What for a miracle in a school like this.”
Muttered Raven.

Jodie and Mack walked up to them.

Brittany told to Jodie.
“Since Raven is new, you can tell her about all the clubs she can join.
Since you are vice president of the Student Council and stuff. “

Jodie said.
“I don’t see why not.”

Finally Brittany managed to drag Kevin away. Jodie started to talk to
Raven.
“Hi Raven. I’m Jodie and this is Mack.”

“Hi.”

“Shall I inform you of all the optional activities, you can enjoy
at your new school?”

In a wary tone Raven answered.
“Why not?”

Jodie sat down and started tutoring her.
“Lawndale High offers a wide rage of different clubs, teams and societies.
First the sport teams: There are5”

Meanwhile Mack was still standing and glanced impatiently at his watch.
“Uhm. Jodie!”

“Yes Mack?”

He mumbled under his bread into her ear and rolled his eyes in a suggestive
manner.
“Our mid-day “revision” at the library.”

After a beat, she said to him.
“Ah yes, I almost forgotten5”

She turned to Raven.
“If you don’t mind we could talk about this later?”

In an unwary tone Raven said.
“Why not?”

Jodie stood up and asked her.
“You said, you like poetry?”

“Dark poetry.”

“Then let me introduce you to Andrea.”

While Jodie waved to Andrea, Jane was observing the scene at another
table.
Daria, carrying a tray with her lunch, joined her.

“Huh? Yeah. I am just following her struggle to fit into one social
group.”

Daria tried to say nothing, and started to eat. Jane turned again to
the direction of Raven and Andrea, behind her back Daria started to glare
at Jane.

Back at the other table Andrea and Raven were talking, But they were
not getting on very well.

Annoyed Andrea was asking Raven a question.
“Aren’t you even a little worried that there may be a hell?”

Raven answered her deadpanned.
“No, because I can assure you that there is one.”

Andrea rolled her eyes, stood up and left her. Raven continued her lunch
alone.

Back at Daria and Jane, Jane said.

“Raven is sitting alone again.”

“So shoot her with your tranquilliser gun and clip a tracking-device
on her ear.”

“What do you think about her?”

Daria didn’t answer.

Jane suggested.
“Well, we could go over5 and say hello?”

Annoyed and sarcastic Daria shoots at her.
“Oh yeah, let’s stand up and walk over the hall to eat with this new
girl, because she knows, how to throw some sarcastic barbs at her teacher.
That definitely makes her someone we should get to know.”

Surprised by Daria’s harshness Jane said.
“Daria! I just mean5 This is her first day. She might be lonely. “

“Not for long:”
Daria turned to a red haired boy sitting at another table.
“Yoo-hoo! Upchuck!”

Upchuck hurried to Daria.

Daria smirked at him and nodded at Raven.
“Look! A new female student and you’re not hitting on her5 Don’t you
have a name to maintain?”

Upchuck rolled his R’s.
“Grrrrr. Feisty. Yes! Where were my good manners?”

He leaped to Raven.

Jane glared at her.
“Now, that was simply evil of you.”

“I haven’t even started yet.”

“Why’ve you done that?”

“To save my lunchtime from some tiresome social contacts5”
Daria realized what she said, embarrassed she put her hand on her mouth.
“No I mean5”

Irritated, Jane stood up and took her lunch (a sandwich and a soda)
with her. Coldly she said to Daria.
“I know what you mean.”

She walked away, towards the direction of Raven.
But then she saw, that Raven was gone.
She peered at the exit of the cafeteria and noticed how Raven was dragged
away by Upchuck, who put his arm around her shoulder.
Jane raised one eyebrow.

Outside of the cafeteria, there were no people except Raven and Upchuck.
When his hand lowered down towards Ravens back, several objects, covered
in dark light, are tossed by magic on him.
His shout interrupted the midday silence.

Hours later, school was finished. While the corridors were emptying,
Jane accidentally found Raven, who walked alone.

Jane said to her.
“Hey Raven.”

“Hey5”

“I’m Jane. I was in English class with you. Later I have noticed
you in the cafeteria5 What happened to 5 Chuck?”

“You mean Up-Chuck.”

“Ah! You got to know him closer5 So, are you on your way back
home?”

“No the school psychologist has put me in self-esteem class.”

“Bummer5 “

“Why are you speaking volumes in that single word?”

“Because “self-esteem class” is exactly how it sounds.”

“How does it sound?”

“Mr. O’Neill is monitoring it.”

Raven reacts.
“5 I need to get out.”

“How about taking the self-esteem graduation test in advance? I’ve got
a copy of the test results. I could show them to you tomorrow.”

“Good idea.”
Raven pauses.
“Does that offer come with a price?”

“Just buy me a pizza.”

“It’s a deal. Till tomorrow5 Jane.”

“Bye.”

They left each other

Later in the self-esteem class of Mr. O’Neill, a group therapy session
was going on. O’Neill and the class were sitting in a circle. On the blackboard
stood the words: “childhood”.

The self-esteem group joined with O’Neill.
“Yes! Of course! Go ahead!”

Raven sighted and started to tell her life story with a monotone voice.
“Very well, where should I begin?
My father was a relentlessly self-improving other-dimensional demon
with high-grade contempt for life and a penchant of world domination.
My mother was a 17-year-old satanic cult member named Angela with webbed
feet.
My father would womanize, he would use devastating force beams from
his eyes and command hordes of demons. He would make outrageous claims,
like breaching dimensional barriers to rule all possible worlds.
Sometimes he would underestimate his mortal opponents by comparing
them with insects. A sort of general malaise that only the genius possess
and the insane lament.
I visit kindergarten in an inter-dimensional world, later the high
priestess of the temple took me under her personal tutelage, instructing
me in pacifism, meditation and the submergence of all my emotions.
Pretty standard, really.
At the age of 12 I have perfected my powers of teleportation, astral
projection, and empathic healing.
At the age of 13 I was plagued by prophetic visions of my demon father.
Sensing his evil growing.
At the age of 14 I came back to Earth and gathered a league of teenage-superheroes,
who would be able to stop my father. From there5”

O’Neill and the self-esteem group were stunned, while Raven continues
her fantastic story.

It was late afternoon when Jane was on her way home, Daria caught up
on her.
For a while Jane tried to ignore Daria.

Mute they walk on for some time until Daria said.
“I think, I have learned my lesson: “In the end the hate you
spread is equal to the hate you receive.””

Jane nearly had to smirk, but she was still cross at Daria.
“Jeez, Daria, what’s bugging you?”

“Huh?”

“The way you behaved at lunch was so5 b5 not nice.”

“Isn’t that the quality, which makes you hang around with me?”

“Look5 Since you came to Lawndale, how many friends have you made?”

Daria hesitated, then she said.
“5 You know the answer5
And I know the answer, how many friends you have made in this school.”

“Is it really so, that you are the only one in Lawndale worth
to hang around with? Is it really so, that I am the only one in Lawndale
worth to hang around with? There are other people too, you know.”

“You sound like my mom.”

Jane smirks and speaks to Daria in the tone of her mother Helen.
“Don’t change the subject young lady. When your best friend wants to
get to know other people better, then let her. And you should follow her
example too. You shouldn’t be so depended on Jane5 and her family, because
I don’t like the way you goggle at her brother all the time5”

Daria cut in.
“Now you are changing the subject.”
She sights.
“Okay. Since something about this “Raven” seems almost irresistible
to you. Go ahead and become friends with her for no particular reason.”

Jane smiles and rolls her eyes.
“Da-ri-a. I just want to talk a little with her. It’s not like
I want her to become my new best friend. You aren’t jealous, are you?”

Daria became embarrassed.
“No.”

“Well, I’m having pizza with her, tomorrow. How about joining
our tiresome social contact?”

Daria sighted.
“5 All right. I come:
But when I find out that she’s only faking her sarcastic behaviour
in order to appear cool. Then I pretend to have a headache and leave.”

Jane smirked.
“You mean faking sarcasm, like you always do?”

Daria glared at her.
“And you accuse me, being jealous about you?”

Later that evening, Raven returned to her home. It was a house, which
looked like an average Midwestern-middleclass resident. She went up to
her room, which was an exact replica of her room in the Teen Titans Tower.
It resembled a wizard’s cave with wooden trunks. It was dark and gloomy,
with light coming from Halloween-like lanterns.

Raven was still in her school outfit and talks to a mirror. She reported
to it all the things she consider relevant.
The mirror was actually a monitor to another, far distant dimension.
Not the “Larry the Titan” dimension, it was the dimension to which Raven
belongs.

Inside the mirror was the Titan’s Tower. Visible were Robin, Starfire,
Beast Boy and Cyborg, who were sitting on a sofa. During and after Raven’s
deadpan report were staring at Raven’s face.

Raven asked them.
“Why are you staring at me?”

Robin answered.
“It’s your forehead.”

“Yeah, you’ve got a zit.”
Mentioned Beast Boy.

Raven glares at him, then Cyborg elbows him.

“Ow! Only joking. There’s nothing on your forehead.”

Starfire added.
“Exactly. Without that stone, you usually have you look so5 so5”

“Normal.”
Completed Cyborg.

Starfire continued.
“Yes, and that garment of yours. You just look like an ordinary teenager.”